A Christmas Poem
by GoAwayAnna
Summary: The Christmas tradition at the Castle household. Everyone reads their poems, but someone has a surprise.


The four family members were sitting in the living room drinking egg nog around the Christmas tree, just chatting about their weeks. It was Christmas Eve and they were just getting their holiday celebrations started. . . time for the poems. Martha was the first to deliver hers, which spoke of finding their groove as a family, Alexis getting a job, her pride in her three favorite people. Alexis went next and spoke of becoming an adult, growing closer to her stepmom, and finally finding someone to share her life with.

As much as Castle insisted on going last, his wife would not be denied. She said she absolutely had to go last for reasons she couldn't say just yet. Nodding his defeat, Castle rose and recited his (as always) wonderful Christmas poem about his baby girl growing up and how he was more in love with his wife than ever. Once he was done, Beckett kissed him and stood to speak her part.

She rose, hands trembling with nerves, and turned to face her mother- and daughter-in-law as well as her husband. She looked at him and smiled before beginning:

 _This is the most wonderful time of the year,_

 _To announce that another soon will be here._

This last line earned her several shocked looks and three jaws on the floor. She continued, her own smile growing with each word, excitement leeching through her voice.

 _Whether a boy or a girl, we don't yet know,_

Alexis screamed, Martha burst into tears, and Castle stood slowly, just staring at his wife. She laughed at the madness of it all, fighting the crowd to be heard.

 _But we can't wait to watch him or her grow._

 _This sweet little gift sent from above_

 _Will be completely, truly, and wonderfully loved._

She nearly had to shout the last three lines as the girls were screaming, jumping, and clapping, and Castle was pulling her around to look at him. He was smiling from ear to ear and rubbing her belly with his thumbs as his hands were rested on her hips. Once she was done reading her poem, he kissed her, hugged her, picked her up and spun her around. She could feel his excitement coursing through her body and her emotions welled up within her. As he set her down, a tear slipped from her eye as Alexis bombarded her with a hug. They held hands and laughed together for a few minutes before everyone was settled on the couch again.

"So that's why you didn't touch your egg nog," Castle noted, putting his arm around his wife. Beckett smiled and nodded. She was sitting between Castle and Alexis, who appeared to be extremely excited to be having a little sibling.

She turned to Beckett, giving Beckett her full attention, wanting to know almost everything. . . "So clearly Dad just found out tonight. When did you know?"

Beckett rested her hand on Castle's leg as Martha leaned in to hear the answer. Beckett started slowly. "Well, we've been trying for a couple months now, and I thought that it wasn't going to happen again this month; I was supposed to start my period last week. When I didn't, I got really nervous and bought a home pregnancy test. The first one came back negative and I was kind of crushed, but then I took another one and it was pink!" There were squeals from the girls, but Castle opted for the more manly kiss from his wife.

Martha asked the next question. "Have you discussed names at all?"

The expecting parents looked at each other, and Beckett replied a little sheepishly. "Not really. I mean, we didn't want to get ahead of ourselves and pick out names before we were even pregnant."

Castle nodded, but then added, "If it's a girl, she'll probably be Johanna." He said it so bluntly, Beckett looked at him in shock.

"Babe, we haven't talked about that. We don't have to name her after my mom. I mean-"

"Kate," Castle interrupted, "Your mother was taken from you too soon, before either of you were ready, and she was the most important person in your life. It would be an honor to name our baby after her. She was a wonderful woman, and she has you to prove it." So matter-of-fact, so natural.

A teary-eyed Beckett kissed Castle around a smile and said, "Thank you, Rick. That means a lot to me. She would have loved you." He pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head.

Alexis smiled sweetly. "What if you have a boy?"


End file.
